Hover Totality: Dawn
by NuclearCookout
Summary: 6 months following the events of Hover Beyond, the recently-wed Tails and Kaolin have started a new life. However, a new and unstable nuclear-armed regime could change all of that. Could war be looming? Final explosive Ch4 is up! -Violence/Action-
1. Chapter 1

Hover Totality: Dawn

Kaolin gasped softly as she awakened with a jolt, and her eyes scanned the dark bedroom, lit only slightly by the feeble rays of the incipient morning sun. It was just another nightmare, one of many she'd had over the past month. She gradually began to regain placidity, and turned her head to look at her dormant husband, Miles "Tails" Prower.

Two weeks had passed since their marriage. Their wedding day was one of the most memorable days in recent history for both New Knothole and New Mobotropolis, and was the happiest day of Kaolin's life. Many, many people attended, and various gifts were bestowed upon the newlyweds, including a new house and a modest plot of land.

She slowly propped herself up and sat on the side of the bed, and thought for a few moments while listening to Tails slumber away. Those dreams...she couldn't figure out why she was having those dreams. Each one pertained to war - bombings, invasions, massacres. A truly disheartening amount of bloodshed. She wondered if it was her rocky past coming back to haunt her, or if those dreams actually meant something.

Kaolin placed her hands on her forehead for a brief moment before making her way down the stairs and to the kitchen. She wondered what she could do so early in the morning. It wasn't like her to get up at six-thirty without going back to sleep, but she was wide awake. Suddenly, it hit her. She would make waffles! Such joy would it bring Tails to awaken with the smell of fresh waffles in the air, she thought to herself with a giggle. The smiling Kaolin grabbed the waffle iron and a large bowl, gathered the necessary ingredients, and began mixing. It didn't take long for the batter to be mixed, and minutes after she poured a portion of it into the iron, a loud 'thud' was heard from the ceiling. She correctly assumed that Tails had rolled off the bed.

Another minute passed before Tails stumbled his way down the stairs and into the kitchen with a big grin on his face. Kaolin looked over her shoulder and greeted him warmly, "Heya Tails. I guess the waffles got to you a little fas-..." but was cut short when he dipped her over and planted a large kiss on her lips.

"Good morning, Lin. I see you're up early. MAKING WAFFLES," exclaimed Tails enthusiastically.

"YES, I am indeed," she responded, beaming, and giggling slightly. Her eyes widened when the waffle began burning, and she rushed to retrieve it from the iron. Tails quickly goosed her the moment she turned her back, and she jumped with a yip. She rescued the waffle, which was only slightly burned, and placed it on a plate.

"Mmm, extra crispy," teased Tails. With a smirk, he continued with, "Needs some sugar, though," and wrapped his arms around his loving wife.

"Lots of sugar here," replied Kaolin as she gazed deeply into his eyes, and the two kissed passionately.

About a minute later, Tails made his way to the living room, and Kaolin continued making waffles. He stood in front of the TV with a spaced-out mien for a few moments before coming-to and switching it on, spilling multicolored light into the room. He, too, was not used to getting up so early. A news channel presented itself, and a story pertaining to the new socialist leader of a different country was shown. The story was to precede a live speech.

The leader, an elderly, gray-haired Human, had been elected months earlier. He had circular glasses, a large moustache, and sported a general's uniform. The people adored him almost to the point of worship. They had even named schools after him prior to him officially taking office. It wasn't his previous accomplishments which had earned him the seat of leadership, it was the way he talked. He elevated the people with sincere promises of perfection and wealth. He swore to place the nation at the top of the world. Few questioned him when he banned ammunition. Few questioned him when he added new taxes and raised existing ones. No matter what he did, the majority of the people believed in him - obsequious and unfaltering.

Shortly before the story was scheduled to end, a news alert appeared. His speech was beginning earlier than anticipated. The camera zoomed to a decorious podium upon an elegant stage, and from behind a large curtain walked the leader, grinning from ear to ear and waving to his followers. He was greeted with vociferous cheering and roaring applause. Once at the podium, he held up his hands, trying to calm the crowds. When they finally settled down, he began speaking, "My friends...my dear friends, we are on the verge of greatness. Just around the corner is a new era of prosperity and peace. The economy is soaring, crime is dropping, and morale is at an all-time high." In truth, his plans for the economy were sustainable only by very heavy taxation which would have adverse effects in the future, and the claim that crime was falling was an outright lie. Without a means of self defense, the law-abiding citizens were easy prey for criminals who simply smuggled ammunition in from the surrounding nations, and crime had actually gone up two-fold. His magniloquent speech then progressed into warnings of so-called enemies to his glorious cause, "Let us not be led into confusion and disarray by misguided groups such as the Global Firearms Alliance, the Mercia Defense Coalition, the United Cyborg Hegemony, and perhaps the most misguided of them all, the Freedom Fighters."

Tails' and Kaolin's ears perked up at that. Kaolin peeked her head into the room and asked, "Did I just hear what I think I did?"

Tails replied, "Sounds like it," and continued listening intently.

The speech continued for twenty more minutes, and he finished with, "In conclusion, I extend to you an invitation. I invite you, my nationwide family, the blood which sustains this great, great country, to continue working together, because together, our dreams will be made reality." The crowd was in almost uncontrollable elation.

"I just don't understand what they see in him. He's so controlling, and he bashes groups which have proven their worth," commented Kaolin as she nibbled on a waffle.

Tails gave a concerned expression and replied, "Yeah, he's crazy, no doubt about it. There's a bigger problem, though."

"There...is?" inquired Kaolin, puzzled and mildly worried.

Tails switched from the news channel to a club dance music channel, set the remote on a table between the couch and the television, and looked at his wife with a playful grin, "We're due for a dance."

Kaolin smiled brightly, and the two stood up and danced to the energizing music.

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Author's note: This story will probably be a bit shorter than Hover Beside and Hover Beyond; I plan to add three more chapters before beginning the next sequel. Though this story may not be as action-packed as the previous ones, there will be a far larger amount in the sequels. Thank you for reading, and please review!

--

Canon Sonic characters and places © Sonic Team, Sega  
Kaolin, story, original characters and organizations, etc © NuclearCookout


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

A week following the misleading speech, the Freedom Fighters were called to that very country to assist some members of the United Cyborg Hegemony on a mission to crack down on a slave trading ring. That particular ring was notorious for its brutal cruelty, in that the slavers used their slaves as shields when attacked and frequently tortured them for entertainment purposes.

Soaring thousands of feet up in the dark, star-studded sky over a neighboring country in the Northeast, the Freedom Fighters prepared to disembark from their stealth transport and drop onto a meeting spot close to the target compound. Each member, save for Rotor, who was piloting, prepared for the impending jump. Tails and Kaolin weren't fearful of a freefall because they were accustomed to flight. Bunny, as well, was unafraid, since she had a flight system in her cybernetic feet. She adjusted her hat while displaying a determined face, and glanced at the remaining four Freedom Fighters who weren't so calm. Sally and Sonic were visibly nervous, but ready nevertheless, and held hands while awaiting the go ahead. Antoine and Amy were clinging to each other for dear life.

The signal was given, and they jumped into the black expanse. Out of all of them, Kaolin enjoyed the rush of skydiving the most, and relished the feeling of the wind roaring past her body. As expected, Antoine and Amy screamed the entire way down. Moments later, their chutes opened, and they glided to a grassy area about a mile away from the building in question. Some touched down more gracefully than others, though Antoine landed with quite a thud. After Bunny helped him to his feet, the team noticed two other people approaching, and everyone immediately prepared for combat, just in case it wasn't who they thought they were meeting. They relaxed when they saw that the individuals were indeed agents from the UCH. One of them was a teal fox named Oryn, whose legs had been replaced with cybernetic ones following a landmine accident. The other was a leopard named Jack, who had lost his right arm, part of his tail, and his right foot in a ship crash. Both appeared menacing, but their kind tones quelled the overall uneasiness of the group.

"Glad to see all of you made it safely," exclaimed Oryn with a smile. "I am Oryn, and my associate here is Jack. No need to introduce yourselves, as we are well aware of your identities due to your past heroics."

Each of the Freedom Fighters smiled, and Sonic was the first to reply, who, with his typical cool countenance, said, "Yeah, glad to see you made it, too. We panicked a little when you showed, though."

Oryn responded with a slight chuckle,"Heh sorry. We should've stood within view, but there are people after us, so just a precaution. Bounties and such." He paused briefly to look at the surrounding individuals, and continued, "Let's get going, we have plans to make."

They made their way to another meeting place and met up with three other UCH operatives. One of them had a computer out, displaying a layout of the one-story compound, and the group examined the data and discussed the best course of action. After one was decided upon, they double-checked their gear and boarded a small hovering platform, using it as a rapid, low-sound, gound-hugging means of reaching the building. Once they came within a few hundred feet, they set the craft down and scanned the premises for guards and cameras. Oddly enough, they found none. Even more to their surprise was the fact that one of the doors was wide open. It took them a short while to realize that it wasn't Robotnik or a major terrorist group they were hunting, just a group of lowlifes who enjoyed treating sentient beings as little more than beasts of burden.

Warily, they entered the building and navigated the dank, wan hallways. Oryn, who was in the lead, stopped at a corner of a four-way hallway junction, and motioned the others to huddle up next to the wall. He had detected an armed guard.

The guard was halfheartedly making his rounds, bored well out of his mind, and wondering why he didn't take his family's advice to attend college and become an engineer. The only bit of joy that rested within his corrupted psyche was the knowledge that he would be acquiring his own slave very soon, and an almost nonexistent grin presented itself on his lips.

The servomotors in Oryn's legs buzzed ever so slightly as he gripped his knife and prepared to make his move. The guard barely had time to think before his jugular vein was severed, and his screams were muffled to almost nothing by Oryn's gloved hand. Amy nearly passed out from the sight, but one of the UCH operatives kept her from toppling over.

The group continued down a hallway until they came upon a locked door. On the other side was a room containing most of the slavers, who were chuckling and having a good time while they watched a bleary-eyed, malnourished teenage feline dance in her swimsuit. All of them had automatic weapons. Antoine, Sonic and Jack were keeping an eye on the other hallways, guns aimed and ready. Sonic still hated the fact that he was holding a gun, but he knew that being without one would probably be foolish in this situation. Another UCH operative used his cybernetic eye to peer through the door and scope out their targets. When he gave the go ahead, Oryn carefully applied explosives to the door and motioned for the others to stand back and prepare to rush in. The blast propelled the door into one of the slavers, plowing him into a wall and killing him instantly. The group barged inside and mowed-down all but one of the slavers with automatic gunfire. That one remaining slaver managed to slip out through a different doorway, down yet another hall and toward the slave holding room, where there were three more guards and two more slavers. Aware that it was a race against time, Sonic quickly and used his renowned speed to best the escapee, but not before the hapless criminal could shout a warning. They entered the holding room as fast as they could and opened fire, killing all three guards and incapacitating one slaver. The one who remained unharmed ignored the liberators and began shooting slaves with a chaingun. Tails put a bullet through his trigger hand, causing him to drop his gun immediately, and the slaver was tackled by various UCH and Freedom Fighter members. Jack used his robotic hand, which was more of a claw, and held him above the floor while clasping his entire head.

The group gazed upon the nightmarish sight. Over a dozen of the slaves were dead, and many were wounded. One of them, a young lion, had been shot in the chest, and Tails ran to help him, Kaolin in tow. He did the best he could to keep him awake and stop the bleeding, but watched as the life completely disappeared from the child's eyes. Tails sat there on his knees, motionless and numb. His lips quivered, and a warm tear traveled down his golden-orange muzzle. Kaolin consolingly placed her hand on his shoulder, trying in vain to comfort him, but he slowly and delicately removed it, stood, and looked at the slaver with a steely glare. She knew what was about to happen, but was unable to stop him as he bolted to the slaver with speed that would make even Sonic wince, knocking Jack out of the way. Tails went ballistic. The irate two-tailed fox clubbed him over the head with the butt of his gun, creating a loud whack noise and sending some blood on a wall, and punched him twice before being held back by nearly everyone present. The slaver collapsed to the floor, unconscious and bleeding.

"Tails, calm down! I understand your anger more than any of us, but we need him for questioning!" exclaimed Kaolin as she held one of his arms.

Tails struggled and growled for a few moments before her words sunk into his livid mind. He set aside his almost overwhelming desire to obliterate the child-murderer and got everyone to release their grip. Angrily, he spat at the madman before turning around and wandering to a corner. He placed his forearm on a wall and rested his head on it, subsequently dropping his gun, which sparked as the barrel scraped the concrete floor. He gritted his teeth while his mind pounded, his heart raced, his body shivered, and more tears streamed down his face. Never before, during his entire existence, had he wanted to kill somebody that badly.

Kaolin looked over at her distraught husband with concern. She'd never seen him that angry, but it was understandable. For as long as she'd known him, he despised people who abused children. She herself harbored a particular disliking for them; possibly enough to beat them to death, just as Tails attempted to do. As was the probable mindset of most of the others present, she wanted to assist Tails, but she knew that it wasn't needed in this case. They'd planned to take at least two slavers captive so the UCH could interrogate them for information concerning other similar slave rings. Tails generally displayed more restraint than that, and she wondered if there was something he wasn't saying.

While the others assessed the damage, the loud hum of the country's armed forces' aircraft could be heard overhead. Jack muttered an obscenity, and the other UCH operatives slung their weapons. The Freedom Fighters looked at each other in confusion and fear, and slung their weapons as well. Less than a minute later, troops poured into the building, successively arresting everyone present and escorting the former slaves to transports. The two remaining slavers were executed on the spot.

All of them were tossed into a prison deep within the nation's capitol. Following lockup, Tails and Kaolin sat next to each other on a cold metal bench, gathering their thoughts while watching the others do the same.

"Kaolin...about what happened back there...my lack of restraint. It's from something that's come up recently," said Tails to his wife in almost a mutter. "Doctors believe my mother has a terminal illness, and since I heard that, I haven't felt like myself. The report of her condition came to my attention a few days ago." His nose flinched as he fought the growing urge to shed a tear.

The light-grey fox placed her arm over his shoulders and pulled him near. She sympathetically replied, "I hope they're wrong, Tails. I truly do," and tenderly rested her head against his.

For two days, the group was held in confinement. No phone calls. No lawyers. Only silence, boredom, and three meals per day. A court hearing followed, resulting in various false accusations and an outright ban from the country. Each team returned to their respective headquarters, befuddled and annoyed.

The following day, the nation's socialist leader presented another misleading speech. Wearing attire even more flattering to his appearance than before, he proclaimed, "Good citizens of Shauland, and indeed, good people of all the world who may be watching, I come before you with an addendum to my previous warnings. Just days ago, the Freedom Fighters, in league with the United Cyborg Hegemony, came within our borders unauthorized and massacred thirty-four innocent people. They claimed, in good faith, that they were tracking down a slave-trading ring, but these 'slavers' were just people running a drill on how to deal with the slave-trading problem. The transgressors were repentant, though they showed little sadness. Despite the recommendation of many of my advisors to deal a severe punishment, I have decided to simply deport them, and a enact a year's ban from our wonderful homeland. As I have said before, they are dangerous and misguided, with very little foresight, as seen clearly on that tragic night."

The Freedom Fighters were absolutely stunned at the blatant falsehood of his words, as were the members of the UCH who participated in the raid. It was obvious that he was not merely trying to harm their reputation, he was trying to annihilate it. For what reason, they didn't know. The group discussed the matter as they sat in the entertainment area of their headquarters, and even brought the corresponding UCH operatives into the loop via video conference. The discussion drew well into the night, and after getting off on various tangents, some of them amusing, friendships between the two organizations were forged. The result of the pertinent portions of the discourse remained inconclusive, and everyone agreed to simply keep a sharp eye out for further Shauland developments.

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Keep an eye out for chapter three, coming soon! Thank you for reading, and please leave a review!  
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Canon Sonic characters and places © Sonic Team, Sega  
Kaolin, story, original characters and organizations, etc © NuclearCookout


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Yet another day passed, and Tails and Kaolin were enjoying some relaxation at their home with their close friend, Ray the Squirrel. He had dropped by to see their abode for the first time, as well as to converse. Hours after the Prowers' wedding, Ray had been called for an important assignment, and the bushy-tailed ally hadn't seen them since. This was something he had anticipated every day during that three week period.

Soft music was playing over the house speaker system, and the television was on, though at a low volume. Tails and Kaolin were sitting on the couch, talking with Ray, who was on a recliner. All of them were enjoying hot spiced tea, an appropriate response to the uncomfortably cool weather outside.

"I really like the setup. You guys did a good job on this place," complemented the squirrel, who cautiously sipped his steaming beverage.

The couple gave their thanks, and Tails replied, "Yeah, it's taken some work, but we're getting things the way we want here. Oh, I must show you the workshop out back, as well as the project I'm working on."

After burning his tongue, Ray said, "Ow...yes, I'd like to see. I always love seeing the stuff you build."

As everyone stood, their attention was drawn to the television. It was another news alert, which stated that a large bomb had gone off in one of Shauland's cites. The camera panned around the scene, showing the flaming ruins of a small office complex. Fifteen people were confirmed dead, with many more still inside the destroyed structure. Images of terrified civilians were shown repeatedly as the reporters discussed the situation.

"That's terrible," commented Tails, "Must be the doing of an ally of that slave group we took down." They said a quick prayer for the families and friends of those who lost their lives, as well as those who were still trapped within the wreckage, and proceeded outside to Tails' workshop.

The golden-orange fox led them inside and to a large holding vault, and after a few turns of the knobs, a couple of buttons pressed, and three handles turned, he opened the heavy, reinforced steel door. The lights on the ceiling activated automatically, spilling a blue-white glow upon the contents. They walked past various shelves with assorted gadgets scattered about, until they came to the end, where there was a partially-built mechanical suit in a thick glass case.

After Ray asked what it was, Tails responded, "That is a power suit I'm building. If it goes according to plan, it should act as a strength-assistant and shield. It's...taking some time, heh."

"I bet," commented the impressed Ray as he carefully looked it over, eyes wide with intrigue.

Tails grinned, and continued, "As soon as I finish this and work out all the bugs, I'm building one for Kaolin as well."

Excitedly, Ray inquired, "Will it have jets and pulse weapons and DEATH LAZORZ and grappling hooks and other destructive things?!"

Both Tails and Kaolin started chuckling, and Tails replied, "No no no, it's just a power suit. I might add a wrist gun later on, but it will only serve to add strength and protection for the time being."

Ray nodded, and added, "I see. It's looking very good. I'm sure it'll turn out nicely, just like everything else you make."

Tails thanked him, and the three exited the vault. Ray was given a tour of the rest of the workshop for a few minutes, which ended when they sat at a small table and began another conversation.

A few hours later, the trio returned from the workshop after having occupied themselves with an invigorating game of ring-toss. They had shared memories of past experiences as well, and smiles and laughter were abundant. That joy would soon be trampled by what they were about to see on the television.

The leader of Shauland was in the middle of another speech, discussing the day's terror attack. He offered words of consolence, and a promise to bring the perpetrators to justice. As he spoke, one of his aides approached him and whispered into his ear. His look became even more stern, and said, "My friends, I have just received word concerning evidence of the transgressors. It appears that the bomb belonged to the people who were released from our custody just a day ago, the Freedom Fighters." A pause ensued a the leader appeared to struggle with sadness, and gasps and low speaking could be heard in the small crowd of reporters.

Tails, Kaolin and Ray were in a state of utter shock, mouths agape, and eyes wide. They listened as it appeared as though the speech was about to resume.

Shauland's leader continued, "I am...troubled by this news. Apparently thirty-five people was not enough for them. I hereby send an urgent plea to the leaders of the United Federation to detain those criminals so they may be brought to our courts. These...monsters...must be brought to justice."

Tails' expression became that of intense irritation. He shook his head slightly, pursed his lips briefly, and said, "It's time for a group meeting."

Shortly thereafter, the Freedom Fighters met at their headquarters in the city of New Knothole to discuss the growing problem. At the same time, the leaders of the United Federation were having talks with the leaders of Shauland. They demanded to see the evidence proving the Freedom Fighters' hand in the attack, but the Shaulandic officials were hesitant and frequently revisited their statements of how time was of the essence and justice needed to be served. As the talks continued further, the Shaulandic officials became increasingly agitated and issued very subtle threats of sending a small task force to apprehend the Freedom Fighters. Both sides eventually agreed to resume the discussion later, after the situation could be assessed more thoroughly. During the hiatus, Shauland began rallying support from other nations, particularly the ones with gullible or currupt leadership. They knew they wouldn't get more unless there was more evidence, not only to pin the "attack" on the Freedom Fighters, but to show the world that the United Federation was just as corrupt.

Hours after Shauland's leader made the speech, the Freedom Fighters made a public announcement in an attempt to clear their organization's good name. Aside from the people in the United Federation, it fell mostly upon deaf ears. Eventually, Shauland fabricated more "evidence" against the Freedom Fighters and the United Federation, and presented it to the world community, thus inciting more opposing sentiment. It got to the point where Shauland was accusing the United Federation of spying, among other things. Even other countries were starting to get in on the bandwagon of blame, but it wasn't just directed at the United Federation, but its allies as well. Accusations of spying and claims of attempts to topple governments were frequent as Shauland's goal to gather support from other nations grew ever faster.

That week was a very heated week, culminating in sporadic bouts of gunfire on the borders of various nations, primarily between the more fanatical groups of opposing sides. Chaos was abundant, just as the Shaulandic leader desired.

It was as if the planet was going crazy.

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Notes: The party's just getting started. Stick around for the final chapter, coming soon! Thank you for reading, and please review!

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Canon Sonic characters and places © Sonic Team, Sega  
Kaolin, story, original characters and organizations, etc © NuclearCookout


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: This final chapter is very gritty, so read with caution!

Chapter Four

Global unrest increased as time progressed. A week had passed since Shauland's accusations, and nations across the planet were at each other's throats, paranoid and enraged. Rumors of wars were circulating amongst various forms of communication, from radio to televised media to virtual worlds. Many of the most distressing rumors were started deliberately. Shauland's propaganda became so convincing, that as people began taking sides, friendships and families were torn asunder from the vehemont clashes of beliefs. The United Federation and its allies were trying in vain to quell the unproven fears of espionage, corruption, and plans to invade, but the conspiracies continued, as did sporadic violence.

Meanwhile, the Freedom Fighters were carrying out various tasks within their headquarters. Some were analyzing media information, some were establishing additional security systems, and some were simply sharing thoughts on the issues at hand.

Rotor was humming merrily to himself in the kitchen while preparing lunch for everyone, or more specifically, homemade egg rolls. He mumbled the list of ingredients to himself, making sure that everything was precisely measured and mixed. As he reached for a bottle of fresh spices, he noticed it was empty. He raised his eyebrows, shrugged, and made his way outside to a patch of herbs, where he knelt down and began gathering a few.

Tails watched Rotor from one of the bulletproof windows while speaking to Kaolin. The vulpine grinned slightly, having thought of an amusing joke the walrus had told earlier, and that led to another fun tangent in the conversation. When he started to turn his head back toward his smiling wife, he heard the crack of a gunshot echoing across the area, and in horror witnessed Rotor collapse onto the herb patch. Two other bullets exploded against the window a split second later; one next to Tails' head, and one next to Kaolin's. Tails shouted a warning of impending danger to his friends, resulting in alarm system activation and nearly each member equipping themselves with armaments. Four seconds passed before a rocket hit the back door, blowing it apart and sending hot pieces of metal and masonry sailing down an adjacent passage. Another rocket blew a hole in the wall that was housing energy cables, leading to the power suddenly shutting off. Everyone took cover as six mercenaries rushed in and opened fire with automatic weapons. The lead mercenary shouted orders to his associates, telling them to spread out and leave no one alive aside from their main target.

Amy, who had neglected to grab a gun, dove into a box-filled storage room as one of the attackers came around a corner and fired a few shots, one of which grazed her boot. Terrified beyond her wits, she stumbled her way into a dark corner, almost hyperventilating, and prayed that she would remain unseen. The pursuer, a young, scruffy, tattoo-covered Overlander, chuckled evilly and sprinted into the room, intending to perforate the pink hedgehog with an overkill amount of hot ammunition, as was recommended. As he slowly walked past the rows of boxes, he whispered sadistic threats, hoping to intensify her fears and cause her to become careless and make a noise. She knew better, and tried as hard as she could to stay silent.

In another section of the building, Bunny, too, was being hunted. She surreptitiously slipped behind some large equipment as the assailant carefully searched the area. Her hunter, also a leporid, was the only female in that group of mercenaries, though she almost didn't look like one considering her heavy military attire and overall rugged appearance. As the mercenary wandered into a large closet, Bunny rushed into the open and punched straight through a wall between the room and the closet. Her hard metal fist collided with the unfortunate mercenary's head, knocking her out cold. She pulled her arm out of the wall and grinned, completely unaware of another mercenary, a canid, approaching her position. It wasn't until the merc brushed against a vase that she noticed. The enemy panicked and opened fire, hitting Bunny almost exclusively in her cybernetic appendages, though she was hit a few times in her organic arm. She extended her mechanical arm and knocked the gun from his hands, but the trained soldier responded quickly by grabbing her arm and jerking her towards him, clubbing her very ardently over the head with a baton shortly thereafter. He grinned and prepared to beat her to death on the spot, but his plans were foiled when he felt the cold steel of Antoine's sword penetrating his chest from the back. He looked down at the portion of the blade that was protruding from the front of his tactical vest, and his lips flinched in surprise. Blood trickled down from his mouth as he coughed lightly, and he slowly sank to the ground as he gradually lost energy, dying moments later.

Antoine yanked the sword from the soldier's chest, stolidly wiped the blood away with a cloth, and sheathed his weapon with almost liquid motion. He quickly dragged his wife to a secure place behind a sofa and checked her to make sure she was still alive. Seeing as she was indeed still living, he let out a sigh of relief and immediately patched the wounds on her arm.

Sally was behind the kitchen counter, using her pistol in a ferocious gunfire exchange with a feline gunman, also armed with a pistol, who was behind an overturned metal table. Both of them had the other pinned down by a salvo of bullets; each had many extra magazines. However, as Sally reloaded yet again, the soldier took that brief opportunity to jump out and rush into the kitchen. Sally reloaded just in time to shoot him in the right upper leg and hip, but he managed to shoot both of her forearms and one of her upper arms. She shouted in pain as her gun fell from her hands, and she scrambled inside the network of cabinets as the injured attacker steadied himself enough to fire more shots.

Elsewhere, Sonic was preoccupied with his own opponent. They were in a bedroom; Sonic was huddled behind a dresser, and the mercenary had taken cover next to the bed. Their situation was similar to that of Sally's previous exchange of fire with her adversary, though it was with automatic weapons. Before either of them could run out of ammunition, Sonic heard Sally's distressed scream. Everything around him suddenly became extrinsic, including his own safety. Without thinking, he dropped his gun, placed his back against the wall, and kicked the back of the dresser hard enough to blow it apart and send one of the heavy wooden drawers, along with many shards of wood, soaring toward his enemy's general vicinity. The drawer collided with a wall and ricocheted, successively striking the gunman's neck, resulting in instant internal decapitation and death.

Sally's attacker shot relentlessly at the cabinets, hoping to get in a few lucky hits on the wounded chipmunk. All he managed to do was graze Sally's small tail before Sonic almost literally flew in. The hedgehog planted a foot on his side, rupturing a kidney and causing severe bruising to many other organs, and landed a fist on his face with the force of a speeding freight train. The mercenary was launched through three walls and outside of the building itself, and finally through the trunk of a tree, coming to rest on a second, leading to branch loss and some of the bark being flung from the other side. Needless to say, he didn't survive.

Sonic stood there for a few moments, panting, and rubbing the aching hand which had struck the attacker so very hard. He quickly retrieved his beleaguered wife from her makeshift bunker, and the two embraced, though only for a short while considering her painful, bleeding injuries.

Kaolin rapidly smacked the gun away from the lead mercenary, shortly after his entrance into the large utility room where she had taken cover. Considering the ursine soldier's training and combat experience, the move was highly humiliating for him. However, he partially regained his dignity when he punched her across the room and into a crate. Before she could grab her pistol, he threw a tray of tools at her, prompting her to dive out of the way and momentarily lose track of his movement. This gave him enough time to pull a large tactical knife from his belt and sprint toward his female target. A small amount of ash-gray fur became airborne when the knife grazed her shoulder as she narrowly evaded a lung shot, and she rolled across the floor, taking that oppotunity to grab her pistol. Once steady, she aimed for his head, but the quick-thinking commando swatted it from her hands and carved a small gash on her wrist. Startled by his skill, the fox took to the air and sped around the room, in an attempt to enervate the brute's resolve and cause him to lose focus. It didn't take long for him to corner her, much to her surprise, and as she dodged another strike, his knife penetrated a still-live electrical conduit. The resultant release of energy stunned him briefly enough to allow her to perform a good, hard kick to his face, sending him aback. The vulpine then dislodged the knife with a kick, grabbed it, and rushed him. Before he could evade, she rammed the knife up through his lower jaw and into his skull, killing him immediately. She surceased her flight and landed on her feet, just as the lifeless bear collapsed to the cold, concrete floor. Her expression was imbued with bitterness and lugubriousness; she despised taking lives with an unadulterated passion, but knew it was necessary, not only for her own personal safety, but for the safety of her friends as well. She quickly patched her wounds with supplies from her portable medical kit, and subsequently grabbed her gun and made her way into the rest of the headquarters to see if she could assist the others.

Back in the storage room, the crazed Overlander soldier drew closer to the position of the shivering Amy. His depraved threats continued, but he became distracted in his sadistic delight and failed to notice Tails sneaking up behind him. When he determined that the mercenary wasn't even paying attention, the golden-orange fox was quick to fly up and roundhouse-kick the soldier in the head. Due to reflex, the Overlander fired a few rounds into the wall before he toppled over onto a pile of boxes, out cold.

Once he steadied himself and made sure the monster was out for the count, Tails consolingly told Amy that the immediate threat was over. She poked her head out from behind some boxes with a demeanor of happiness, and responded with joy and thanks. Tails then shouted a request for a status report from his friends, and found that the area was secure.

As the wounded were treated and surviving enemies put into holding, the Freedom Fighters who were available traveled outside after Nicole, who had been dormant for one of her occasional system maintenance sessions, scanned the area for more threats. They somberly walked to where Rotor lay, but were surprised when he began to stand up and dust himself off.

"Rotor! We thought you were dead!" exclaimed Kaolin, wiping tears from her bleary eyes.

"At the risk of being shot again, I played dead. I'm really REALLY glad I added bulletproofing to my jacket," replied Rotor with a chuckle, and he continued, "The hit left quite a painful bruise, though," while rubbing the hole in the back of his jacket.

Before they could continue their conversation, Nicole interrupted with urgent news. One of the United Federation's allies was undergoing a massive aerial attack by a pro-Shauland government, which had declared war upon the nation moments prior. The declaration was immediately reciprocated, thus commencing the first major conflict resulting from Shauland's deception.

The Freedom Fighters listened in utter shock. If global peace was that fragile, they could only imagine what could happen next. They headed back inside the building in order to plan for a possible attack on United Federation soil. The place was a mess, but cleaning the floors of debris and blood would have to wait until another time. However, Sonic went ahead and gathered some plywood in order to tend to the more pertinent issue of patching the gaping holes he'd caused in the walls, which bore obvious testimony to his excessive, though understandable, response to the mercenary who attacked Sally.

For the following fifteen minutes, they monitored the mounting situations across the globe. The attack had emboldened other groups to carry out their own nefarious plans, and violence spiked sharply, including conflicts on the United Federation's borders.

After the walls were repaired, at least to some extent, Sonic, who was carrying Nicole, went into the infirmary to check on his injured wife. The wounds on Sally's arms had been treated and bandaged, and he found her sitting on the side of a medical bed adjacent to the one cradling the still-unconscious Bunny.

"Hey Sonic," greeted Sally with a somewhat indolent tone. The gunshot wounds had left her with little energy, but she tried her best to show her appreciation of her husband's presence.

Sonic gazed into her big, cerulean eyes with tender concern, and asked "Hey Sally, how are you feeling?"

"I'm doing better, though nearly being turned into Swiss cheese really takes it out of ya, heh," remarked the chipmunk in a fairly comedic spirit, though residual consternation from the attack was still evident.

Sonic snerked and took a seat next to his wife, clasping his hands on his knees. In her mind, Sally was exceedingly thankful for the privilege of being able to enjoy Sonic's company again. She was thankful that she had a second chance. She placed one of her hands onto his, and the two locked eyes, kissing moments later.

Again, Nicole interrupted with an important development. A plane bearing semblance to a United Federation long-range bomber had just carpet-bombed a military area within Shauland's borders. The accompanying town had also been damaged, including an orphanage, a hospital, and a school full of children. Casualties were unknown, but were loosely estimated to have been between five-hundred and fifteen-hundred.

Those who were within earshot accelerated their efforts in war preparation. Whether or not it was a legitimate United Federation bomber was irrelevant. It was clear that Shauland wanted an excuse for war, and they were about to get one.

The leader of Shauland made a public announcement less than five minutes following the bombing, fiercely denouncing the attack and officially declaring open war on the United Federation.

The Freedom Fighters went into panic mode. They first sent out alerts to all of their family members and friends across the nation, warning them to be prepared for the worst. They then ran systems checks on their fighting equipment, as they would probably be seeing combat in the near future. A quick inventory count of survival supplies in the bomb shelter was also performed, should there be a widespread nuclear exchange.

In the midst of the commotion, Nicole added that she had detected another transmission, stating that troops were mobilizing in the country bordering the United Federation to the South. Further signal monitoring led her to conclude with eighty-nine percent certainty that they were primarily troops from Shauland's allies, and included true Shaulandic units as well. All the more evidence of a predetermined conflict.

As the minutes ticked by, similar conflicts arose between the nations supporting Shauland and the nations supporting the United Federation. Pro-UF nations had allegedly executed strikes against their opposition, and the so-called victims responded accordingly. The Freedom Fighters knew that a world war was imminent. Some of the members wondered if it would indeed escalate to a nuclear exchange, but it was ruled doubtful, considering the United Federation's highly advanced missile defense network, which had performed with flying colors in each of its trial runs.

They would get their answer very shortly.

A large airliner, carrying over two-hundred civilians, was cruising high above the Central region of the United Federation. In a blinding flash, a high-yield nuclear warhead hidden within the cargo hold detonated. Directly within its flight path was an important power regulation complex, which was swiftly knocked offline by the powerful electromagnetic pulse. A considerable section of the nation lost power immediately, and the mainland portion of the missile defense network had been damaged to the point where its purpose was essentially destroyed.

Many hundreds of hypersonic nuclear ballistic missiles promptly rose from their underground silos, launched not only from Shaulandic soil, but from three other nuclear powers sympathetic to Shauland's cause. Most of the missiles had major United Federation cities and military installations targeted, including New Mobotropolis, but many were directed toward UF-friendly nations. The United Federation responded by launching the bulk of their functioning mainland nuclear arsenal, as well as their ship- and submarine-mounted atomic weapons.

Nicole nearly came unglued when she got the satellite feeds concerning the launches, and Sonic, who was still carrying her, jerked when she shouted the alert. They scrambled in all directions to prepare for the possibility that one of the missiles was heading their way. Considering the fact that Shauland's leader harbored a staggering hatred of the Freedom Fighters, they figured it was well within the realm of possibility. If it didn't land directly on their heads, it would probably land in nearby New Mobotropolis.

The remaining missile defense outposts managed to shoot down dozens of the missiles, but most of them got through. Once Nicole determined that one was indeed making a bee-line for them, they abandoned their headquarters and took off to the South. If her calculations of the missile's blast potential were correct, the bomb shelter would've been vaporized.

The first targeted United Federation city, located on the Eastern coast, disappeared under a luminous mushroom cloud only a few minutes after five o'clock in the afternoon. Twenty-four cities and fifty-nine military bases followed suit. Shauland lost over half of its cities, but nearly all of its military might was either deep underground, in the air, or scattered amongst its allies. One of its nuclear partners was almost completely reduced to a glassed wasteland.

In total, over eight-hundred million people lost their lives that day.

Following the nuclear strikes, troops from various hostile nations poured into the United Federation from all directions, marking the beginning of a long and arduous war.

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Author's notes: A tragic ending, and the beginning of a new era. Keep a watchful eye for the sequel, coming soon! Please review!

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Canon Sonic characters and places © Sonic Team, Sega  
Kaolin, story, other original characters, countries and organizations, etc © NuclearCookout


End file.
